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Comparison of pore size as determined by mercury porosimetry and by miscible displacement experiment

Journal Article · · Ind. Eng. Chem. Fundam.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/i160058a013· OSTI ID:6792764

In a rarely quoted paper, Klinkenberg (1957) developed a computational technique for the calculation of pore-size distributions from miscible displacement data. Applying this technique to sandstone, he calculated pore sizes which were considerably smaller, over the entire range of values, than those obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry. This is a remarkable result because it is well known that mercury intrusion porosimetry measures the size of entry pores which may be either smaller than the rest of the pores or the same size, but can never be bigger than them. Klinkenberg's conclusion that ''the current concept of pore size distribution is not unequivocally defined'', while accurate, does not go as far to explain even qualitatively the reason for the particular type of discrepancy found by him. It is proposed that model of pore structure consisting of an assemblage of straight cylindrical capillaries, used by Klinkenberg, is chiefly responsible for the discrepancy. It is shown that a more realistic model of pore structure, consisting of 3-dimensional networks of cylindrical capillaries with step changes in their diameter, gives a more consistent account of both the results of mercury intrusion porosimetry and miscible displacement. (12 refs.)

Research Organization:
Waterloo Univ.
OSTI ID:
6792764
Journal Information:
Ind. Eng. Chem. Fundam.; (United States), Journal Name: Ind. Eng. Chem. Fundam.; (United States) Vol. 15:2; ISSN IECFA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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